Transport-vehicle.



C. S. SNELL.

TRANSPORT VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

U. S. NELL.

TRANSPORT VEHICLE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 2,1913.

ifig fifiy; Q, Patented Apr. 21, 191 i 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

C. S. SNELL.

TRANSPQBT VEHICLE.

APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 2,1913.

1,@93,889, Patented Apr. 21, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I carries a pitch chain wheel 7, at either end brakes.

as shown, one wheel being loose upon the shaft, the other fast.

The wheels 8 are mounted on stub a irle s 9, which project from the radius arms 10, the latter being hinged upon the axle 4. Springs 11 are disposed between the radius arms and the wheel. frame parts as shown. shock-absorbing devices being supplemented if required. The wheel frame is provided with a chain race 12 (see'liige) to accommodate chain 13, which is controlled from the head 1%, described hereafter, for the purpose of causing the Wheel frame to pivot about its axis 14.

It belt or band 15 (see lfig. 4) completely snrroznuls the circular wheel frame 1, and is connected rigidly to the shafts 16 by riveting or other convenient means. The shafts 16 may be as shownin Fig. 2, in which they are in skeleton form, and latticed. for strength as at 17, terminating at their apex which carries the head B, or, they may alternatively take the form shown in Fig. 7. in which a tubular one piece shaft replaces the composite frame shaft. Nesting within the wheel frame 1, is the circular platform frame 20,falso formed in a similar manner, its hub pivoting upon the pin 14 as shown in Fig. 4:. This platform frame is pro lided 'wi'vh'a chain race 21 and a cable or chain which is capable of imparting rotation to it from the control head B, The platform itself 22 -may be of any desired character and length, but at its fore end it is preferably arranged to bear against a rubber covered roller 23;which is mounted upon the shaft'or shafts 16. Hence the wheels and the platform frames are both capable of rotation about their commonaxis, relatively to each other and to the shaft member. The shaft head B is supported upon a swiveling hinged spring pivot C, the pull of the tractor being transmitted to the follower through the spiring buffer D.

In Fig. 1, the head is shown in section,

and provides for rotating the'platform and wheels as well as for applying the The means 'of, controlling these functions may be as shown, but the invention is not limited to the detail of arrange ment when the control head isof a fixed type as at B. Thebraking arrangement is as follows: The Wheel 25 when turned imparts motion through intermediate means to the bell crank 26, a cord or chain 27 is attached to this bell crank at its one end, and to a roller carrying bar 28 at its other end. The bar 28passes through guides 29, the roller 30 contacting with a curved link i 31 which is pivoted at. either end to the levers 32, keyed to shaft 33 which latter is carried in journals 34 formed in the wheel frame cheeks 5. The levers 32 carry the cords or straps 35 which operate through the pulleys 36 rods 37 and levers 38, the cam 39 situate between the end cheeks of the sual type of internal expanding brake blocks 40. Should there be an axial turning movement of the wheel frame and the need to apply the brakes at the same time, it is obvious that some equalizing gear is required, or else more braking effect would be applied to one wheel than the other. This is arranged as follows: Apart from the fact that the link 31 is radial to the pivot 14, the cords 35 are passed over pins ll on bell crank levers i2, disposed upon the brake levers 39., the other ends of the bell crank levers being connected by a cord or chain 43. Hence the brake may be applied whatever the position of'the wheel frame 1, and the effect on both wheels is equal. For operating the chains for. turning the platform and wheel rings 1 and 20 a Windlass or pitch chain wheel arrangement is employed, both operated from the head B by means of worms and worm wheels. worm wheel shafts which carry the chain wheels being disposed the one within the other as shown, either external wheels or cranks l l being provided for manual operation. The shaft or shafts 16 are hinged'at the head 13 to the swiveling hinged spring pivot device C, see section in Fig. 5. This consists of a socket 45 arranged to swivel,

The

and is attached to the rear part of the tractor; pivoted to this is a swinging hollow cup l6 carrying at 1ts sides gudgeon pins to which is hinged the fork of the buffer rod ii. The cup 46 carries a tubular extension whose top end is flanged over as shown.

lVithin this extension is a spring 49 disposed between washer plates 50, and a rod 51 passes through these plates, and is attached to a. cap 52. the rod taking a bearing upon the top washer as shown. To this cap is attached the forks of the shaft or shafts 16. This arrangement provides therefore, for vertical motion controlled by the spring 49 which is double acting'against movements vertically. This also provides for motion backward and forward as controlled by the buffer D" (hereinafter referred to) and for the relative angular motion produced between the tractor and follower as when turning corners, owing to theswivel 45 operating on the tractor.

The buffer D is of identical construction to the above but operates horizontally, An application of the same principle is shown in connection with the swiveling head B of the tubular shaft type of follower shown in Fig. 8; in this case the springs of the tractor itself take up the vertical vibrations. It consists of a buffer rod'47 controlled in its movement by an abutment at back and front with a helical spring between. The guides 60 early the rod 4:7. The rod is between these, abutments I Hencethe 'abutments are normally n I (filllllblllllll but resist not-ion 1n both'dlr'eceither end tubular abutments 61 and, 61,; is a' coiled: spring lions. If the follower drags, then the after abutment 51 moves forward, until the resistance of the spring" equalizes it. On the other hand. if the follower tends to push the tractor, as when descending a hill, then the fore abutment 61 moves backward against the spring likewise. Hence, it will be clear how the equivalent parts C and D as applied in Fig. l comprise double acting buffers again t vertical and longitudinal niovemenl's. V

Figs. 7, H and 9 show a slightly modified form of follower, and its parts, in which single tubular shaft 65 replaces the double shaft 16. In this device the steering head ii is arranged to swivel so that the operator can control the follower from the side, the motion being transmitted to the platform, brakes. and wheels through bevel or miter gears and sleeves. The arrangement is as follows: The shaft 65 carries the'cast head piece l5 provided with a turned hollow boss (36 recessed into the tube '65; rotative m0 iion between these two parts is controlled by means of the catch device 6'4, the lock ring o8 which is placed in position in two halves) held by the set screw 69 keeping these parts in place. A tubular pillar-70 is bolted to the head piece B, and this car lies within it sleeves 71, 72 and 73, in fast connection with hand wheels 74, 75 and 76 which operate respectively through the miter spur gears 77, 78 and 79, the platform, wheels and brake. The platform and wheels are controlled through the medium of the sleeves 80 and Slrespectively, suit-- able gearing of a mechanical equivalent to that described under Figs. 1 and 2, being arranged at the rear end to operate the wheels and platform. The brakeis operated through the worm 82 disposedon the Shaft 83 which carries the miter wheel; 77. The worm 82 meshes with worm wheel 84 on shaft 85. The worm wheel carries a cord pulley 86, whose motion tensions the cord 87 to operate the brake mechanism. A seat 90 may be arranged in conjunction with the steering, head as shown in Fig. 7, this seat being capable of folding up if required.

The operation of swiveling, the head is as follows: The catch 67 is released by with: drawal after removing the safety pin 67 which allows the boss 66 to turn within the tubular shaft 65, the hand wheels 74, 75 and 76 being turned to restore alinement or previous position of the brake wheels or plat form if desired. By means of catches 67 formed in the head B concentric with axis of the tubular shaft 65, any desired angle up toisay 90 either side of the vertical may be given to the head B. Bushes 92 may be emp o ed a ist e r weds-,tenih contro s c aments"1" "-flhe'operation l'oi The aeroplane 01 other loadto "b i'sdisposed upon the platf0r1n22, the fore endof the platform resting upon the anti-chattering roller 23. In the arrangement shown in I*ip;..7,a lei: or legs 95 is' ora're provided upon which the follower may rest when not'attached to the tractor 96, and by means of a rack and pinion arrangement, such as shdwn in Fig. 7 the platform when disconnectedfrom the tractor may be tilted the better to receive its load. When under moliomvarying road inclinations produce varyingrompressions upon the buffer spring '62. while inequalities of-the road effect, and are absorbed by, the spring lVhile under motion the platform may be turned to any angle independently of the path of the follower by the means previously described. Again. the wheels may conjointly be moved from the worm apparatus in the steering head as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or by means of the miter 78 as shown in Fig. 8. When the wheel frame is turned out of alinement with the center line of the shaft, the wheels may be looked as if they were fixed to one ,hxle, for instance, a clutch operated from" the control head. may be disposednpon the shaft 6 so as to throw the loose sprocket wheels 7 into driving engage. ment with theshaft, or pin may" be tenuiorarily put through the sprocket wheel boss iir place of a clutch. found inprac'tice that the wl'ieel's may be left] free out-heir axles without this refine ment of lochii tithe siiufple turning" of the wheel fr'a'ine being suflicient for most prac tical purposes.

The operation of the brake arrangements have been previously described. but it may ,he pointed out, that the brake arrangements being independent of any oftlie other It is however 0 control movements the brakes may be applied when going downhill lieve forward compression of the buffer spring 62. By these means itis obvious that a large and unwieldy load can be carried over any t -rack that is.large enough to accommodate ilue width of the vehicle and its freight, the t ractor and followerfbeing capable of turning movements independently of each other, so that th've'ry sharpest corner or bend can be negotiated with ease.

For military purposes, an apparatus of this sort is invaluable, since in negotiating rough country, it frequently happens that corners on unmade roads have to be negotiated, or where a road wheels of the follower may be made to travel, parallel t o,,but at one side of, the track of the tractor. Although the plans show a platform for the carriage of an aeroplane, it is obvious in order to reis much cut 'up the that any other form of body &

may be attached to the upper swiveling bed such as may be required for ambulance pur poses, poles for telegraph purposes or other military requirements. Again, bodies useful for any commercial purpose may be affixed. Such a vehicle can of course be steered if pushed backward, and therefore be'varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In a truck, the combination, with a wheeled carriage provided at its upper part with a circular frame, of a longitudinal draft member provided. with a band at its rear end which is mounted on the circular frame, a circular platform-frame pivoted concentric with the said frame, a platform secured to the platform-frame, means for connecting the front end of the draft member to a tractor, and steering mechanisms mounted on thefront end portion of thedraft memher and operatively and independently connected with the two said circular frames, whereby the supporting carriage and the platform are IIIOYGd, pivot-ally and independent of eachother.

r 9'. In a truck, the combination, with a wheeled carriage provided at its upper part with a circular frame, of a longitudinal draft member provided with a band at its rear end. which is mounted on the circular frame, a circular platform-frame pivoted concentric with. the said frame, a platform secured to the platform-frame and proiecting for ardIy over the draft member, an antifriction device supporting theoverhanging portion of the platform from the draft member, means for connecting the'front end of the-draftinemb'er to a tractor, and. steer ing mechanisms mounted on the front end portion of the draft member and opera tively and independently connected with the two said circular frames, whereby the supporting carriage and the platform are moved pivotally independent ofeaeh other.

w 3. In a truck, the combination, with a supporting carriage provided at its upper part with a circular frame; an axle carried by the carriage in front of the circular frame, pivotedarms carried by the axle and projecting rearwardly and having axle spindles at their ends, springs arranged between the said arms and the supporting carriage, and road wheels mounted on the axle spin dles; of a longitudinal draft member provided. with a band at its rear end which is mounted on the circular frame, av circular platform-frame pivoted concentric with the said frame, a platform secured to the platform-frame, means for connecting; the front end of the draft member to a tractor, and steering mechanisms. mounted on the front end portion of the draft member and operatively and independently connected with the two said circular frames, whereby the supporting carriage and the platform are moved pivotallv and independent of each other.

4. In a truck, the coml'iination, with a wheeled carriage provided at its upper part with a circular frame, of alongitudinaldraft member provided with a band at its rear end which is-mounted on the circular frame, a circular platform-frame pivoted concentrio with the said frame, a platform secured to the ')la .;form-fra1ne, brakes operatively connected with the wheels of the wheeled carriage, a brake operating mechanism supported in front of the Wheeled carriage, intermediate connections between the brake operating mechanism and the said brakes, means for ciainecting the front end of the draft member to a tractor, and steer ing mechanisms mounted on the front end portion of the draft mcn'ibe andoperatively and indcpemlently connected with the two said circular frames, whereby the support-' inn; carriage and the platform are moved 5; '-)tall and independent of 'each other.

testimony whereof I have affixed my sig, iture, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SCOTT SNELL.

lVitnesses H, D. JAMusoN, S. E: Boone. 

